Here's a look at the big matchups and top storylines from around the nation as we near kickoff on another Saturday of college football:

The Big Buzz: The Zach Mettenberger Bowl

No. 6 LSU at No. 9 Georgia, 3:30 p.m. ET

Any time two top-10 teams collide, it is a huge story. If they're in the same conference, that's even better. And if that conference happens to have dominated college football for the past decade ... well, you get where this is headed. But this afternoon, all of that will take a back seat in what some are calling the Zach Mettenberger Bowl.

Mettenberger, who was booted from Georgia after a March 2010 incident at a bar led to charges of sexual battery, returns to Athens this afternoon at the helm of a potent LSU offense that has the Tigers ranked No. 6 in the country. But that's not all. Mettenberger didn't just used to be a Georgia Bulldog; he was the embodiment of a Georgia Bulldog.

In this Feb. 26, 2010, file photo, Georgia quarterbacks Zach Mettenberger (5) and Aaron Murray (11) pose for a photo in Athens, Ga. Murray won the job, guided Georgia back to national prominence, and became the most prolific passer in school history. Mettenberger ran into legal troubles, was forced out of Athens, and landed as the starter for Southeastern Conference rival LSU. On Saturday, these former teammates will go against each other for the first time when Georgia hosts LSU. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal Constitution, Brant Sanderlin, File)

He grew up in Watkinsville, Georgia, less than 10 miles from Athens. His mother, Tammy, still works as an administrative assistant in the university's football office, a place where Mettenberger spent a lot of time as a kid. And Mettenberger was neck-and-neck in a quarterback competition with current Georgia star Aaron Murray when he was dismissed from the team.

Now Mettenberger is back in Athens, in hated colors, with a chance to propel his Tigers into the thick of the national title conversation if he can emerge victorious. While an LSU win would certainly tie a nice bow around Mettenberger's tale of redemption, it won't be easily accomplished inside what is sure to be a raucous Sanford Stadium. Standing in LSU's way, most notably, is Mettenberger's former roommate, writes ESPN's Mark Schlabach:

On Saturday, Murray and Mettenberger will square off one more time, with each quarterback hoping to keep his team in the race for an SEC title and potentially a BCS national championship.

As Schlabach notes, Mettenberger pushing Murray in that spring competition three and a half years ago was no fluke. While the former Bulldog won the starting job at LSU last year, it is this season in which he has truly emerged. Under first-year offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, LSU has the type of weapons on offense that can burn a young Georgia secondary. And in Mettenberger, they finally have the right guy to get those guys the ball. NOLA.com's Randy Rosetta still gives the edge at quarterback to Georgia, however:

Where Murray gets a slight nod is in the experience department. He starts his 45th game in charge of the high-flying Bulldogs offense and he's seen about everything imaginable. Mettenberger was so-so on the road last season, and this is his chance to reverse that trend.

It's no secret that this game is a monster for Mettenberger and LSU. The Tigers at 4-0 have been very impressive - particularly on offense - but they are still in the shadow of both two-time defending champ Alabama and the mercurial Johnny Football and his Aggies in the SEC West. Without a signature win yet this season, a loss could render them irrelevant until their showdown with the Crimson Tide in November. Yet somehow, as Paul Myerberg of USA Today describes, this afternoon's matchup is more significant for the Bulldogs.

Georgia, on the other hand, already has lost a game on the road to a top-10 team - dropping a 38-35 decision to Clemson in the season opener. With a win against South Carolina in hand and Florida's inherent issues on offense and with injuries, the Bulldogs can see a clear path to another appearance in the SEC title game. Losing to LSU would not only drop Georgia to 2-2; it would reopen the SEC East race to a number of teams with BCS aspirations.

As we near this epic showdown between the iconic hedges of Sanford Stadium, lets watch Tim Doyle of TSN breakdown what should be an afternoon to remember in Athens, as well as two other big games:

Top games

Here's a look at some of Saturday's other can't-miss matchups involving teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25:

• The ESPN SEC bloggers are split on the game of the day. Chris Low thinks Aaron Murray and the Georgia offense will lead the Bulldogs to victory at home while Edward Aschoff expects the young LSU defense to make enough plays to steal one at Sanford Stadium.

One of [Alabama's] guiding principles is this: It's all about us. It's all about what we do. With all due respect - and they know this themselves - no, it isn't. It takes two teams to tangle on a football field, and your ability to dominate is affected by your opponent's ability to fight back.

LSU has been forced to grow up fast after losing players like Barkevious Mingo, Eric Reid, Kevin Minter, Bennie Logan and Sam Montgomery to the NFL, and although the Tigers aren't young on paper, many players have had to learn on the job...

"There's a group of young guys trying to prove themselves worthy of their predecessors," [Georgia] Bulldogs tight end Arthur Lynch said of LSU.

• While all signs point towards Braxton Miller getting the start tonight against Wisconsin, it doesn't make the Kenny Guiton story any less compelling. Guiton's transformation from an underachiever to an award-winning quarterback at Ohio State started with his dad, was aided by Urban Meyer and was complete when Guiton himself became a father. Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com features the emerging Guiton:

Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton looks for receiver against Florida A&M during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Meyer prefers to divert the praise elsewhere. He commends Kenny's commitment to preparation, a newfound infatuation routinely on display in the film room and on the practice field. He exalts the chemistry between Kenny and offensive coordinator Tom Herman, who got choked up while honoring the quarterback before the rest of the team in the locker room after the Cal game.

With one fewer hulking lineman, a defense can add a speedier player to limit offenses on the perimeter. It also gives defenses more options on blitzes and more opportunities to cause confusion with various pre-snap movements.

"We felt as a staff it fit our players the best," said Bob Stoops. "It allowed us to have more speed on the field and a little more diversity to what defenses we're playing -- diversity in blitzes, diversity in coverage."